Gonzalez joins exclusive club with 80th RBI for Dodgers

The Dodgers' Yasiel Puig, right, scores on a double by Adrian Gonzalez as Boston Red Sox catcher David Ross looks on in the eighth inning at Dodger Stadium. MARK J. TERRILL, AP

LOS ANGELES – Only three players in baseball have recorded at least 80 RBI in each of the past eight seasons: two Detroit Tigers, and, now, one Los Angeles Dodger, first baseman Adrian Gonzalez.

With Saturday’s eighth-inning double that brought two teammates around to score against the Boston Red Sox, Gonzalez notched his 79th and 80th RBI. Before 2013, Gonzalez had at least 99 RBI in the six preceding years, and 82 in his first full season back in 2006.

Miguel Cabrera and Prince Fielder are the only others in baseball to complete that feat, with Cabrera leading by sporting a 10-season streak of at least 100 RBI.

Asked if he takes pride in preserving his reputation as a run producer, Gonzalez downplayed his long run of consistent production.

“That’s my job,” Gonzalez said.

This year, the 31-year-old San Diego native has done his job despite fading overall effectiveness by picking his spots more wisely. He’s hitting .288 with nine RBI with the bases empty and .336 with 61 RBI with runners in scoring position.

Gonzalez’s 16 homers have produced just 25 RBI – less than a third of his total run production. By contrast, Hanley Ramirez’s 13 homers have netted 23 RBI – more than half of his 42 total runs driven in.

“He hits to the situation extremely well,” Dodger catcher A.J. Ellis said of Gonzalez. “He knows when it’s time to go for a single, and he knows when it’s time to for an extra-base hit. You feel really comfortable when Adrian’s up any time, but especially with runners in scoring position.”

Added Ellis of Gonzalez, who was facing Boston left-hander Jon Lester for the first time: “He spends more time in the video room checking out the guys he’s gonna face than anybody on the team.”

Gonzalez is on pace to drive in 100 runs in 2013. He paces the Dodgers in RBI by a considerable margin, with Andre Ethier second on the team with 45 RBI, despite appearing in only one fewer game than Gonzalez.

Of the 10 teams currently in position to make the playoffs, four – Boston, Tampa Bay, Texas and Oakland – don’t have a player on pace for 100 RBI.

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